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Think and Grow Rich

Have you ever read Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill?

If so, you know that there is a mysterious truth to the universe that ties together an individual’s success and ultimate results in life with the state of his mind, and belief in his own ability to create that success for himself.

To be honest, the first time I read the book I thought it was a little strange, and much of the actual text is dated. The book was published in the 1930s, and it’s easy to write it off as a Depression-era “feel-good” book to try to encourage people to get back to work and build self-confidence.

However, as you dig further into what Hill is saying, it becomes increasingly evident that the material presented in the book was collected through interviews with hundreds of the country’s most successful personalities and businessmen of the time, and they all agreed with Hill’s main premise.

We are what we think about, and we can control our own destiny.

The Law of Attraction in Today’s World

The Law of Attraction blog, SuccessThoughts.org is a modern day rendition promoting many of the principles outlined by Hill and his contemporaries.

The “science” behind the law of attraction is still far from being definitively proven, but in the last few years there have been a number of different experts claiming they’ve figured out different versions of why the Law of Attraction works. From Jack Canfield to Bob Proctor, Rhonda Byrne, and Abraham-Hicks, everyone seems to have a different way of describing very closely related principles, which actually have their origin on many of the world’s most-revered religious texts, including the Bible, Tao Te Zing, as well as Buddhist and Hindu writings.

The premise is that there is an underlying current of energy (some call this God, others energy, others beauty) that permeates all things, and we can influence the creation of our own reality by tapping into this cosmic-fabric. Through meditation and controlling our dominating thought patterns, we are able to effect future manifestations of wealth and abundance.

Sound too good to be true? Give it a try. Here’s one of my favorite abundance meditations from Bob Proctor. Try this out for 30 minutes a day for a month or two, and see if you don’t feel better about your financial situation, and see evidence of more wealth coming into your life.

You can also visit sities like Mindvalley, for more meditation and success-consciousness information.

Are you tired of long days at the office, feeling like you’re working only for a paycheck and the advancement of a company you don’t care about or believe in?

If so, it might be time for a change.

One of the great things about being a technology professional is that – virtually across the board – there is tremendous room to become a freelancer and work for yourself, on your time schedule, rather than that of the company.

Benefits of Freelancing

Most technology careers are virtual, which means that if you’re hired for project work, you don’t necessarily have to trudge into an office everyday, but can work from the comfort of your own home. Especially in the NY area, that simple shift can add two or more hours to your day, as you cut out your commute time!

According to OnlineJobsAtHome.org, freelancers also earn a higher hourly wage, as much as 2.5 times the hourly equivalent of their salaries before beginning their freelancing career.

While it’s true that the extra cost doesn’t necessarily mean a higher paycheck (you’ll have to buy your own insurance and office space, if you so choose, and will need to spend some time each week on non-billable activities, like looking for new clients) you do have the opportunity to earn more, and gradually increase your rates over time, as you prove you can add more value and grow your client base.

How To Get Started

To get started as a freelancer, the most important thing is, you guessed it, to find your first client. For many in the tech industry, that isn’t too difficult.

One tip is to bring up the subject with your current employer. Politely explain that, for personal reasons, you’re interested in spending more time at home and working as a freelancer rather than a salaried employee.

If the company doesn’t offer to renegotiate according to your terms, you can at the very least suggest you stay on in an interim role while they search for a new employee. Sometimes, those interim roles will last for years.

Secondly, use your existing network. When I first started my freelance business, I got my first client simply by telling a few close friends in the industry about what I was doing, and my aims and type of clients I was looking for. You might be surprised at how easy it is to find one.

Finally, turn to job search sites, but stay away from classic outsourcing sites like Upwork, where you’ll find yourself competing for the lowest wage with workers in India and SE Asia.

From there, it’s all downhill. Once you have a client, you’re officially in business for yourself, even if you still have a ways to go to begin earning what you want. Leverage that first client into a second, and the second into a third, and before you know it you’ll have more work than you need!

Consider a Course

Secondly, many business owners overlook the fact that more often than not, the biggest obstacle to growing the business is the owner himself. Whether you lack experience or knowledge in a specific skill area, or just don’t have the time to execute everything properly, figuring out where your own weakest links are can do wonders for your business.

For many business owners, they developed their businesses out of their expertise in their chosen field, but then reached a plateau. In this case, taking an online marketing course, for example, might help to get you over the hump and breakthrough to new opportunities and growth strategies, that you hadn’t previously considered.

For others, it might simply be an issue of time management, and taking a course on this topic or working with a mentor or business coach could help you make incremental and significant improvements in your day to day productivity.

I hope these tips prove helpful, and best of luck with your business in 2016!